Water-conductor.



W. J. MINNS.

WATER CONDUCTOR. APPLICATION FILED N0.V.30,1908.

Patented Mar. 16, 1.909.

' nbg/nto'a altw J. mmxus UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

WALTER J. MINNS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATER-CONDUCTOR.

Application filed November 30, 1908. Serial No. 65,400.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. MINNs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VTater-Conductors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates more particularly to an attachment for either a single or a combination faucet whereby either hot or cold or a mixture of both hot and cold water may be run into different compartments of baths or washtubs.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device for washtubs, baths and the like which may be divided into two or more compartments, and which device is so constructed that the same may be used in connection with a single faucet or a combination faucet whereby hot or cold water, or hot and cold water combined may be made to run or conducted into either or both of the compartments formed by a division member, thus overcoming the objections incident to the ordinary method employed in which four faucets and other parts are required for accomplishing the same pur pose. j

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple attachment for articles of the character referred to which is so made and attached to the article that not only is there a saving in the number of faucets but also a number of feet of pipe is saved as well as several joints, and also several hours of labor in placing the attachment to the article, thus economizing in material and labor as well as in the attachment itself over the usual method of construction.

Another object of the invention is to pro- .vide an attachment which will not interfere with the ordinary division member of combination bath and washtubs, and which is attractive in appearance, and is so arranged that most of the parts are located on the outside of the bath or washtub so as not to materially interfere with the interior thereof.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

one form of attachment or device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through the article showing a front elevation of the attachment. Fig. 3 is a section through the conductor member taken on the line Illlll of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a part of the conductor.

In combined bath and washtubs it is the practice to divide the same centrally thereof to provide two independent compartments which may be utilized as washtubs, and which when the division member is moved out of the way permits the ar icle to be employed as a bath. As shown in the drawings, the body or receptacle 10 of the article, whether a bath or washtub or other article, is provided with a division gate or member 11 which forms a seal with a guide or paft 12 to divide the same into two compartments, though this number may vary, and which division member is adapted to be moved in any suitable way to convert the article into a bath, all of which may be of the usual or of any preferred construction.

The bath or other article 10 has a faucet 13 on each side of the division member 11, one of which is intended for hot water and the other cold, though it will be understood that the invention may be applied to a single faucet instead of a combination faucet, and the said faucet or faucets may be of the usual or of any desired form. The faucets-13 project through one side or wall, as 14, of the bath or washtub, and are held thereto by passing the stem of the faucet through the body portion or part 14 andclamping the same on the innerside of the wall 14 between a flange 15 and a nut 16 on the other side. A pipe or connection 17 extends along the side or wall 14, and is either attached to or formed integral with the part or end 18 of each faucet element, and on the outer end of said connection 17 is a nut or coupling 19 to which may be connected the water pipes 20, one of which is for hot water and the other cold water, the water through which is controlled by the faucet elements 13 to permit the water to flow or to be cut off as usual, though in this case the connections for the faucet are on the outside of the bath or article and only a small part of the faucet element and their operating handles project within the bath or washtub. 7

To direct the water to either of the compartments, as 21 and 22, formed by the division member or gate 11, whether hot or cold, or to combine the hot and cold, I provide a lug or boss 23 on the connection 17 substantially centrally thereof, and projecting inward from said boss or projection through the wall or part 14 of the article is a tubular member 24, and arranged on the outer end of said tubular member is a relatively movable and oscillatory member 25. The member 24 may be integral with the connection 17 or may be provided with a threaded end so as to be held thereto, and the outer end of said member 24 may be enlarged to provide a head 26. This head 26 is tapered to form a plug, and is cut away substantially centrally thereof for a part of its depth, as at 27, so as to communicate with the tubular chamber or channel 28 forming an extension of the pipe or connection 17. The member 25 is held to swing or oscillate on the head 26, and is provided with a boss or enlarged part 29 which has an opening therethrough corresponding to the sh ape of the head or plug part 26 so as to form a tight joint therewith at all times, and said member 25 is provided with outwardly-projecting tubular arms 30 and 31 adapted to extend on opposite sides of the division gate or member 11, so that if the member 25 is tilted to the position shown in dotted lines, as at 32, Fig. 3, the water from one of the faucets may be made to flow into the compartment 21, and if the member is shifted to the position shown at 38, Fig. 8, the water may be made to flow into the compartment 22. As the water is controlled by the faucet members or elements 13, either hot or cold or a mixture of hot and cold water may be made to flow through the channel 28 to be supplied to either of the compartments on opposite sides of the division member or gate 11, and when in a horizontal position or that shown in full lines in the drawings, either hot 01' cold or a mixture of hot and cold water may be made to fiow into both compartments at the same time.

The member 25 may be held to the normally fixed member 24 in any suitable manner, and may have its movement relatively thereto limited in any desired way. As shown the boss 29 is provided with a circumferential slot 34, Fig. 1, so as to provide shoulders 35 which are adapted to engage a pin or projection 36 located on the plug or head 26 of the member 24, and said member 25 is held to the member 24 by a screw 37 and washer 38 to adapt the same to have an oscillatory movement and to be differently positioned with respect to the member 24. The head or plug member 26 of the member 24 is cut away sufficiently to permit the water to flow when the same is in a horizontal. position, but which causes the parts 39 to shut off and prevent the flow of water through either one of the tubular arms 30 and 31 when in either of the dotted positions, the

solid part of the plug serving at that time to entirely close the opening in the end of one of the arms or the one uppermost.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple and efficient water conductor is provided which may be readily applied to either a combination or a single faucet in such a way that either hot or cold water maybe made to flow into different compartments or either hot or cold or a mixture of hot and cold water simultaneously to a plurality of com partments; that said construction overcomes the necessity for using four faucet elements and further saves pipes, several oints as well considerable labor in making these connections, and that the device is simple in construction and may be readily assembled.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent z 1. A device of the character described, comprising a relatively fixed member, means for supplying water to said member, and a member held to move on the other member with the latter as an axis and adapted to conduct the water on either or both sides thereof.

2. A water conduct-or, comprising a relatively fixed member, means for supplying water to said member, and a member having tubular arms held to move on the other mcmher with the latter as an axis adapted to conduct the water on either or both sides thereof.

3. A conductor of the character described, comprising a relatively fixed member, and a movable member having outwardly extend ing tubular arms held to the other member and adapted to conduct water on either or both sides thereof.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a member serving as a source of supply for water and having an enlarged tapering end, and a member provided with a boss fitting said tapering end and having outwardly projecting arms serving as conducting means for the water and movable relatively with respect to the first-mentioned member, and means for limiting the movement of the second member.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a relatively fixed member serving as a source of supply for water and having a tapering end, and an oscillatory member provided with a boss fitting said tapered end and having outwardly projecting arms serving as conducting means for the water.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a member serving as a source of supply for water, an oscillatory member held to the other member and provided with outwardly projecting arms serving as 0011- ducting means for the water, and means for limiting the movement of said oscillatory member.

7. In a water conductor for bath or washtubs, the combination with a tubular connection adapted to communicate with a source of hot and cold water supply, of a plurality of faucet elements controlling said supply, and a conductor interposed between the faucet elements and comprising a fixed and a relatively movable member adapted to conduct the water from either or both faucet elements to either or both sides of the fixed member.

8. In a water conductor for bath or washtubs, the combination with a tubular connection adapted to communicate with a source of hot and cold water supply, of two faucet elements independently controlling said supply, and a conductor interposed between the faucet elements and comprising a fixed and an oscillatory member provided with two oppositely extending tubular arms adapted to conduct the water from either or both faucet elements to either or both sides of the fixed member.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receptacle, of means for dividing the receptacle transversely thereof, a pipe connection arranged on the outside of said receptacle, means for supplying either hot or cold water to said connection, a faucet element located on opposite sides of the dividing means and controlling the source of supply of water, a member projecting inwardly through the receptacle and communicating with the connection for the source of water supply, and a relatively movable member held to the outer end of the inwardly projecting member, said member being provided with means for conducting the water to either or both sides of the dividing means.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receptacle, of means for dividing the receptacle transversely thereof, a pipe connection arranged on the outside of said receptacle, means for supplying either hot or cold water to said connection, a faucet element located on opposite sides of the dividing means and controlling the source of supply of water, a fixed member projecting inwardly through the receptacle and communicating with the connection or source of water supply, an oscillatory member held to the outer end thereof, said latter member being provided with means for conducting the water to either or both sides of the dividing means, and means for limiting the movement of said oscillatory member.

11. A device of the character described, comprising means for controlling a source of water supply, a tubular member having an enlarged head forming a plug which is cut away on one side thereof, an oscillatory member having a boss provided with a tapering opening fitting over the head, and having outwardly projecting and tubular arms extending on opposite sides of said head, and means for limiting the movement of said oscillatory member to direct the water to either or both sides of the plug.

12. A device of the character described, comprising a pipe connection forming a source of water supply, faucet elements for controlling the water supply, a tubular member having an enlarged tapering head which is cut away on one side thereof, an oscillatory member having a boss provided with a tapering opening fitting over the head and having outwardly projecting and tubular arms extending on opposite sides of said head, said head being slotted to form limiting shoulders, and a pin for limiting the movement of said oscillatory member to direct the water to either or both sides of the head.

This specification signed and witnessed this 27th day of November A. D. 1908.

WALTER J MINNS. Witnesses W. A. TowNER, Jr., E. KRANOER. 

